Replacement for 220 Swift

[Orange Dust]

I played with the hot .22s for several years, but mostly for coyotes and deer/exotics. I used the Federal Premium load with the 55gr Trophy Bonded for Blackbuck, mule deer, axis deer and coyotes in a .220 Swift (Mod 700 classic barrel set on a Mod 7 action) I then used the 22-250AI in a 9" twist, and a 224 TTH in an 8" twist. I used it on coyotes and one huge hog with the 75gr Swift. 6mm brass seems to be unavailable around here anymore though. Have a good smith run a borescope in your barrel to see if its even worth setting back/rechambering/refreshing. It may be "fire-checked" the entire bore. The problem then is you start tearing up your bullets, fouling stays bad, accuracy is shot. I don't know anything about the 22 Creedmoor, but it "sounds" like a good one to play with! Have a ball pard!

75gr Swift will add some useful life to your 224TTH. Tough bullet, seems to survive the trip down the heat checked bore. Mine won't shoot it better than 1/2" though. Will still shoot some old 80gr Amaxes in the .2's, if they make it to the target. Weird??? My TTH is 8 twist also.

 

[denobravo]

If you get a fast twist barrel you can shoot up to 70-75gr in the swift easily.

The old 22 Cheetah was a screamer. Up to 5000fps when loaded hot with light bullets. It was simply a necked down .308win.

in other words a 22-243

 

[Coyotemaster1]

Welcome,
Been shooting the Swift a long time (20+) and am really fond of the chambering.As long as you have brass and dies I'd recommend a set back or another tube with same clambering- perhaps considering a 9/12 twist for heavier slugs. There is plenty of powder capacity and case strength with Swift,don't think anything gained with 250 ackley.I do feel the 12 May be the ticket with 55-60 grainers- plenty fast and energy on dogs to 500+. I like 50s and they are great to 400 and a bit more but at 500 they are feeling some limitations.The 9 twist with heavies is great--- for a while.Life expectancy isn't long however.

 

[Orange Dust]

in other words a 22-243

Similar, but not the same. If memory serves it used the benchrest case with a small primer pocket and the shoulder was changed. It was pretty hot.

 

[Orange Dust]

Biggest issue with fast twist really hot .22's is the bullets surviving the trip down the barrel and the flight to the target. Pretty easy to exceed their design limits on RPM / Speed. But, that's what makes it fun. Barrels do not last very long!!

 

[AD5GB]

The Swift is awfully hard to beat IMHO. Ive been shooting a Rem 700 VLS 22-250 for years for long range varminting; waiting for the barrel to burn so I can do something different with it. She just won't burn down but that 12" twist..... maybe it's not a liability actually but I can't shoot anything much bigger than the 50gr Nosler (which work exceedingly well actually) in the rifle. Following this thread for informational purposes.

 

[Orange Dust]

The Swift is awfully hard to beat IMHO. Ive been shooting a Rem 700 VLS 22-250 for years for long range varminting; waiting for the barrel to burn so I can do something different with it. She just won't burn down but that 12" twist..... maybe it's not a liability actually but I can't shoot anything much bigger than the 50gr Nosler (which work exceedingly well actually) in the rifle. Following this thread for informational purposes.

The swift and 22-250AI are ballistic twins. The AI will feed through the magazine better in the 700 than the swift. Those two are also about as big as you can go if you are expecting any sort of barrel life whatsoever. If I were going to do another big one, I think it would be worth the money to have the barrel nitrided. That might get useful life closer to the smaller ones.

 

[Buzzsaw]

does the new .224 Valkyrie fit in here? or is it too slow?

 

[Orange Dust]

Also, just thinking out loud, wonder if 5R rifling would help heavy bullets stay together in a TTH or bigger cartridge with an 8 twist? Just wondering

 

[Orange Dust]

does the new .224 Valkyrie fit in here? or is it too slow?

Like the difference between a 6.5 Creedmore and a 26 Nosler.

 

[glbhunter]

I have a ruger heavy 26" barrel. It's all stock factory. Previous owner went thru great pains to get it accurate many years ago He shot 52 grains sierra bench rest bt and 4895. I shot that load for many years. Then one day I did some expirmenting. You know how we are sometimes. I put together a load with reloder 15, Barnes 53 gr tsx flat base, boy does it shoot. If I can do it it will shoot a 1/4" group and I love that reloader 15. I can push it out past 4000 (something I couldn't do with 4895) without excessive pressure, however, my most accurate load is around 3800. I will always have a swift, I love it. Yes, there are other rifles that can perform well. That particular rifle has killed 18 deer (a lot of my family and brothers have used it) and I never lost any deer. They pretty much dropped in their tracks. Maybe a few heart or lung shot max 75 yards. I'd keep a swift. Maybe I'm sentimental

 

[crd5189]

This post couldn't have come at a better time. I've been doing some research into large case capacity .22's that will fit in a short action (22 Creedmoor, 22-243 AI, 22-6mm AI). I plan to put a gun together for the heavy for caliber bullets, specifically Sierra's 95 gr. Matchkings. Has anyone tried these in there fast twist .22's yet? Any issues anyone has run into, aside from short barrel life and stability?

 

[Orange Dust]

This post couldn't have come at a better time. I've been doing some research into large case capacity .22's that will fit in a short action (22 Creedmoor, 22-243 AI, 22-6mm AI). I plan to put a gun together for the heavy for caliber bullets, specifically Sierra's 95 gr. Matchkings. Has anyone tried these in there fast twist .22's yet? Any issues anyone has run into, aside from short barrel life and stability?

Doubt they would stay together in the air. I would ask Sierra. 8 twist is pushing it in a TTH (22-6MM) It does best with 70-80gr bullets. The TTH will shoot a 70gr bullet as fast as a 22-250, and maybe a Swift will shoot a 55gr. Not sure never shot a bullet that light in mine. It is entirely possible to have too much of a good thing. My rifle will push 3500 with an 80gr A-Max and 50grs of Ramshot Magnum. I shoot R22 with the Swift 75gr. If I built another, think I would back off to 9 twist.

 

[Orange Dust]

I have a ruger heavy 26" barrel. It's all stock factory. Previous owner went thru great pains to get it accurate many years ago He shot 52 grains sierra bench rest bt and 4895. I shot that load for many years. Then one day I did some expirmenting. You know how we are sometimes. I put together a load with reloder 15, Barnes 53 gr tsx flat base, boy does it shoot. If I can do it it will shoot a 1/4" group and I love that reloader 15. I can push it out past 4000 (something I couldn't do with 4895) without excessive pressure, however, my most accurate load is around 3800. I will always have a swift, I love it. Yes, there are other rifles that can perform well. That particular rifle has killed 18 deer (a lot of my family and brothers have used it) and I never lost any deer. They pretty much dropped in their tracks. Maybe a few heart or lung shot max 75 yards. I'd keep a swift. Maybe I'm sentimental

I always shot 4064 in the Swift's I had. Nostalgic!